To Run or Not to Run

I was faced with a dilemma yesterday morning as I woke up to a stuffed head, runny nose, and terrible headache. I'd been fighting it for a couple days and I thought perhaps it would be taken care of before the SFU race. No such luck though.

By all google related accounts it is said that if your symptoms are above your neck go ahead and run, but below your neck, in your chest and/or bowels, do not run. For me it was above my neck, but my head felt huge and racing seemed wrong. And besides, do I really want to race and log a crappy result? This was the real dilemma.

Knowing I felt so terrible I was certain my result was going to be crap. Did I want a crap result? I tried to tell myself I'm running for me and not to externalize my results, but no can do. Once those results are posted everyone knows you logged some junk.

Thinking back to another Endurance planet podcast on Flow for the athlete I was reminded how important it is to ones performance to only race for ones self. It is when we externalize our successes and failures that our performance actually decreases. And that was it, I pinned on my bib number and zip-strapped my timing chip to my Salomon Speed Cross. It was time to race... and race for me only. It would be what it would be. If it was to go badly I would chalk it up to training under adverse conditions. As my Dad used to say, it'll put a little hair on my chest.

Hoping for the best I jumped in the start chute with the fasties. When the announcer said it was for the folks looking to get medals I thought I was in over my head, but I stayed and crossed my fingers.

5-4-3-2-1 GO! The pack flew off the mark and down the road. Consciously I had to back off. It was too much for me at first even though I'd warmed up. Cranking a hard left into Gear Jammer the descent began and was way too fast. Who are these guys?, I thought, but my head was clearing and I started looking for room to pass. having pre-run the course I knew all the passing spots and just when the climbs were coming. I saw Mr. Coo ahead of me on the first small climb and let him stay there. We still had another short loop to do. Across Dead Moped, along North Road I was rippin'. And into the climb up Mel's I caught two more runners. This is where I'd stay until the base of the Cardiac climb. Tucked in behind a runner from Australia we worked our way by the sport course racers with encouraging words and loads of silly banter. When we cleared the technical trail and came out to the big climb I got by Crocodile Dundee and began to roll. This was where I saw the Lazy Trail Runner ahead. There was a chance I could catch him and I went for it. Gaining on him with every step my heart pounded and I completely forget how sick I had been just 50 minutes prior. (Me, Oliver Utting, and Crocodile Dundee who led me through the 2nd half)

The legs ticked over nicely up Cardiac and Mr. Coo got me yet again. This time by only half a minute or so. We finished 5th and 6th and each won some hardware in our respective age groupings.

My time was slightly slower than last years, but I was very thrilled with my ability to perform under such crappy health conditions. I crashed hard when I came home and this morning I'm feeling a lot better.

XA 5's a big hit with road racer : Phil Green.
It's taken me a few years to convince coach Phil to get into the trail running scene and he's slowly getting there. He's had some outstanding races including the Hallow's Eve 10k and 5 Peaks at Golden Ears. Each of these he has done with his long standing partner shoe, Nike. Pegasus. Yesterday we got him into a pair of Salomon XA 5's and he couldn't believe the difference. This XA/XT hybrid gives you the cushioning of a road shoe, but the guaranteed grip and performance of Salomon's trail shoes. Along with his natural speed, the XA 5's got Phil a win in his age group yesterday.

My Trail Rant

A recent podcast on Endurance Planet , called "The Rule",(listen to it here) got me to thinking about the trail greeting. You know the trail greeting right? Or maybe you don't. Let's start with a question, Are you a runner that says hello, or good morning to other runners as you pass by them? Yes or No?

For years I have been a yes man. I greet everyone I see on the trails. EVERYONE! I've commented in the past about how good this makes me feel. Not just because I'm a good friendly citizen role modeling the right thing to do, but because it really makes me feel good. A smile and a greeting seems to always take away the pain of a long and sustained effort...for a little while at least. I don't know that there's science behind it, but smiling must release some sort of happy enhancer into your blood stream.

This past weekend I ran a good four hours from home, up Capilano Canyon and to Deep Cove with a couple of incredible guys. We laughed and chatted the entire way. On the trail that same day was a bunch training for North Vancouver's Knee Knacker. They had started ahead of us so they were passing us on their way back. I would guess that most of them intended to say nothing to us at all, until we spoke first. "Good morning", we'd say. And their eyes would shoot up with shock and awe as they scrambled for a response. Others didn't bother with a response at all. They didn't have music on, they weren't deaf, and they weren't going too fast. I'm confused about this. I always have been. You're out in the forest, far from any cars or amenities, or people, and you pass by a fellow runner without even a nod of trail runner's camaraderie? That's weird.

Are these people in their happy, zen running place? Are they too cool for others? Do they think they're training run will be spoiled if they speak to someone? Are they scared to make eye contact with a stranger? By the look on her face, and based on previous encounters with her, I can tell you one such runner past by us without a word because she was definitely too cool for us. She even accelerated to let us know just how good she is. Without a doubt she's fast, but that doesn't dismiss friendliness.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? People can't afford to treat each other this way. A quick hand up wave, a nod, a smile, or even a grunt will suffice if you can't muster the courage for a hello or good morning. But for god sake, acknowledge your trail comrades. We're all out their together and nobody is too cool - I don't care who you are. Stay humble and say hello.

Check out this February 2009 article from Runners World on the same thing. I love the definition of waving he gives.

iRon kNee - two days later

Spun it out from home on the road bike this morning, but the quads and calves are still a touch tender - a pain I secretly enjoy.

As some of you may know, I was nursing some weirdness in my running world over the past three weeks. I was feeling low and like I wasn't running to my potential and maybe even getting slower with all my little "iggle-de piggly de" leg issues. I sort of felt that I was letting down my Trans Rockies team mate, Duncan, who has been training and running hard. I needed Iron Knee to go well and it certainly did.

I started out nice and slow. Slower than I was comfortable with actually, but I told myself it was the right thing to do. The start of Iron Knee is a bit of a balancing act for me. The first couple kilometers are under power lines on a service road and then the trail dives into Baden Powell's tight single-track. The runner wants to run easy to start, but not so easy that you enter the single-track behind a slower group of racers. Ceding yourself properly is tough to do, but I think this was my best effort to date. I reached St. Georges bench in 13th place, according to trail running guru Rob Doyle, who was marshaling there. It was just after that point that I'd planned to crank things up a notch. And that I did, immediately noticing the tension in my right hamstring. No problem though, so I ran on. Down the long steps into Lynn Headwaters aside another racer, I guess Mr. 12th Place. We ran across the Rice Lake connector and that's where the wheels starting coming off the bus and I saw trail running buddy Brad De Abreu. He was filming and I wasn't looking good. I shoved in a Vanilla Bean Guu and crossed my fingers. Magic was made. I picked up the pace and again I was rolling. With burned out legs and core, my body was tired before heading up the infamous power lines. Really tired. I typically run the powerlines, but I was certain I wouldn't run all the way this day. There was no way...or was there? I dropped my head, dropped a gear, and put a smile on my face to actively defer the evils of mental anguish. I ran past two runners into 11th place and hit the top of the climb. Rounding the last switch back I'd run the whole thing and hit the top in about 17 minutes from the Riverside turn off.
(These two pictures were taken seconds apart. It's interesting how my body position changes after I noticed the camera and smile. Shoulders low and hips forward.)

The decent down to Indian River Road was quick as usual, but a nice change of pace after my long climb. I just had to hold off the runners I'd gotten by on the Power Lines. Coming into Quarry Rock I checked my watch and saw 1:38. I knew I had 12 minutes to finish if I was to beat my own 1:50 personal best. This was it and I knew I could suffer through and make it. 1:49:18 was my final time and I felt terrific finishing. My hamstrings worked themselves out, but I still headed for the ocean to soak. There really is nothing like finishing in the Cove, standing in the water and cheering for the rest of the field. It's cool watching people react to their finish time and those around them.
Thanks so much to North Shore Athletics for another well run event and to everyone who volunteered there time to be out there. Particular Kudos to the champ who hauled the Black Forest Cake up to the top of the power line climb.

Iron Knee - 1:49

To break 1:50 I knew I needed to push. At 1:38 I came into the clearing above Quarry Rock, Deep Cove and knew I was about to burn if I was to do it. Story to come.

The Iron Benchmark

No, I'm not thinking about the gum stains on the underside of a bus bench or the heart-shaped carving with T.C.+ L.P. in it, on the log at the beach. I mean benchmarks that we keep for ourselves for future comparison, development, and growth. These are the indicators we use to let us know where we're at, like the marks your mom used to make on the kitchen wall to keep track of your height. In running we keep track of our achievements, sometimes mentally or in a log, to determine if we're as "strong" as we were five years ago, or last year or last month. It's human nature to want to see ones self advancing.

The mistake we sometimes make however, is choosing a moving benchmark. For the runner, it's another runner, one's nemesis. It might be out of fun and comedic rivalry, like it is with the Lazy Trail Runner and I, but few people don't compare themselves. Keeping perspective on all this is the key though. There will always be someone faster, higher, richer, skinnier, or stronger. This is not to say we shouldn't shoot for what we perceive to be the top, it's just about maintaining realistic expectations and not losing sight of the true reasons we're out there.

I have two major benchmarks in my running life: Knee Knacker, which I unfortunately didn't get into this year, and the Iron Knee, a 22km run from Grouse Mountain to Deep Cove. These two annual events stay on the same route year after year and therefore provide me with a comparable tell-tale for the rest of my season. Iron Knee in particular, with it's variety of technical ups and downs, flat turn over stretches and one really large climb, gives me a heap of feedback about the upcoming season and fitness standing. The biggest challenge for me is that it's a local event and I recognize many of the other racers which in turn gets me comparing myself and creating expectations. I like to think I'm out there for me, and I remind myself as I start the race, but when I spot fellow racers , certain ones more than others, I immediately assess my position and often decide to push harder.

When I look back at the Iron benchmark I see...
2007 - 1:56
2008 - 1:52
2009 - 1:51
and this tells me my next natural goal should be to run below 1:50. I have worked at my speed again this year, as well as my hills and I really think, if I don't get wrapped up in other racers, I can do thisl. A smart race for me will be an easy start and an obvious pace change at my predetermined mile marker. Last year, the last three kilometers of this race were incredible for me and that's great, but it tells me I might have picked up my pace earlier on. Now I know.

Not only do benchmarks help us check up on our goals, they help to improve and always aim higher. Wish me luck this weekend. There are a lot of unspoken rivalry's out there that are incredibly well trained this year. Nervous, but excited.

The 3 Day Miracle

Hamstrings ready to snap,

hips abuckling,
runny nose, red eyes,
my body was a breakin' down...
and all I had to do was listen.

I took my three days off and then jumped back out there. I was a grumpy bear whilst not running, but once I got my turnover fix I began to smile again. Until...what's this? I don't usually get shin splints. This really bloody hurts. "Run through it!", I said to myself. And I did, and it kept hurting. Dammit!

Another day off and voila, all is well again. I've had some tense moments where I thought my ailments were wiggling their way back into my life, but no such luck....for them. Find a new host, I say.

Late last week the road bike came back out and that bit of cross training really helped spin out my legs. The latter week was an 1:10 up Capilano Canyon and back home, Saturday was a 60 minute hill climbing clinic with Flight Crew Clinics, and Sunday was a cruisy 3:45 to Deep Cove from home. There's nothing like finishing in the Cove and soaking in the ocean. The only thing missing was my Honey Donut. The line up was out the door so I chose the chocolate milk option at the corner store.

With these tired, aching muscles of late, I've been running a lot in my S Labs. They're super light and provide a heap of lateral stability, compared to the Speed Cross 2 that is. This shoe really is the S Line or M Series of Salomon's trail shoe fleet. The contagrip sole is like having gum on the bottom of your shoes, just adding to their overall stability. And of course, they look incredibly cool with their Ferrari red sensifit strips to seal your feet in nice and solid.

I listened and my body spoke. Thus was born the three day miracle.

A Question of Climbing

I came off BCMC last week and came upon a fellow who had been having some real challenges getting faster and feeling more proficient while climbing. "Climbing Guy" (I'll keep him anonymous) asked me a few questions. I gave him my email, and this morning he sent the following:

Hello Tom,
I bumped into you last week on Grouse Mt in the red VW. Hope all is well. I tried to run straight up after our discussion the next day but dropped a lung after the first quarter LOL! it 'seems' impossible! You were saying that the Grind tends to make people step due to it having stairs? so is their away round this? Some people say the only fast way is knees on hands technique bent over? Is doing it more often better or a detriment? I am going crazy!

Kind Regards, "Climbing Guy"

This was my response to "Climbing Guy".

Hi, "Climbing Guy"

Glad you got out there and tried to blast one. It's always fun putting the heart to a test.

When I ran I went up BCMC, a trail just to the east of the Grind. A bit longer and slightly less steep. It has far fewer steps and therefore allows me to choose my stride length. I have found, and many will agree, that a faster cadence and shorter stride helps to avoid or delay lactic acid build up. When you take longer strides it makes your muscles work much harder. In short, this extra work creates more of the ugly bi-product, lactic acid. I'm not suggesting you won't create lactic acid with shorter strides, but this may help to delay it's onset.

As for the hands on knees, it's not typically recommended for long climbs. I occasionally put my hands on my knees, but for only a few strides. A high posture with shoulders back is best. Your forward lean should be initiated from the ankles. This will help to defer/avoid low back strain and fatigue. As well, the high posture forces you to keep your shoulders back and your lungs open. Some folks lean over their knees and this compresses the lungs, which you need to be fully inflating during bouts of exercise like this.

I hope this helps. Please let me know how your next session goes.

Remember:
1. faster cadence with your feet.
2. high posture
3. forward lean from the ankles

Also, more advanced runners control their breathing. Once it gets away from you, it's tough to bring back. Hill climbing breath is like yoga breathing, cyclical. If it's too rapid, you'll start to slow because the whole system isn't able to keep up.

Have fun out there, "Climbing Guy".
Tom

Salomon Flight Crew

I'm not the world's fastest climber so I'd love to hear what works for you.